Carbone

I tried this thinking it would smell like the original Carbone de Balmain and it’s NOTHING like it at all. Good news is that I’m a sucker for a musk fragrance and this is predominantly a massive hug in a bottle. The challenge or edge to this perfume comes in the shape of translucent, plastic opulence giving saffron/patchouli feel and a gentle rose undertone. I love it. I mean it’s a bit heavy, like being rear naked choked by a Care bear but it’s pretty wonderful. I don’t mean this is cutting edge perfumery or the best thing ever but as I said, I love how similar this is to something like The musc by Essential parfums but still different enough to own both. I think they switched Carbone and Ebene because the new Ebene smells much more like how I remember Carbone being.

A dark scent ( the name I find perfectly fitting ) , deep and powerful, with very strong leathery shadows overwhelming a just hinted rose. An almost primordial fragrance, which with its intensity seems almost to comfort and warm the soul. The enveloping aroma slowly turns to dust and finally, as if reborn from the ashes, the rose emerges, carnal and passionate. Silky and sensual, like a black cat. I wore it on a cold evening, and I must say I found it perfect. Going then to learn about the nose...here comes Quentin Bisch, who, you may have guessed by now, literally stole my heart. His olfactory signature here does not stand out at first sight, but then his style comes through. I really liked it. “Girl with black cat in her arms” painted by Boldini.

Carbone 2024 by Balmain really took me by surprise. It is a daring and refined fragrance that redefines masculinity with a modern twist that musk really takes center stage. The scent opens with the softness of musk, creating a smooth, sensual base. At its heart, delicate rose blooms, adding a touch of elegance and contrast to the composition. The fragrance is anchored by luxurious suede, which gives it a warm, leathery finish, blendinperfectly with the other notes. Carbone 2024 is bold yet sophisticated, perfect for the man who seeks both strength and subtlety in his signature scent. It’s a captivating balance of softness and intensity, ideal for any occasion.

Evocative of smelling the inside of a black pepper grinder: Sharp, dry, and faintly woody. Up close, it’s quite spicy and austere, almost bracing in its dryness. Somewhat challenging. I find this stunning regardless. The more time I spend with it, the more I enjoy it. Refined dry woods with a restrained rose and that persistent, textured pepper (I'm guessing it's the strong suede + wood combo). It’s far more nuanced than the opening suggests. Like Orto Parisi's Boccanera, this is a fragrance you need to spend time with to truly understand.

This fragrance is straight-up opulence. Carbone has the smoky vibe that is comparable to Ombre Nomade but they are in completely different worlds. The suede is *chefs kiss*. The performance is insane - I sprayed it on a tester strip and could still smell it in passing days later (not exaggerating). Bisch nailed the rose-musk blend! It's technically unisex but definitely leans masculine. This stuff projects like crazy and lasts forever. Special occasion fragrance IMO - not for everyday. Potentially my wedding scent. 10/10

Probably the most sophisticated, elegant, and romantic fragrance in my collection, period. The smell is so soft and beautiful. Spicy velvety rose, along with smooth suede coupled with creamy sandalwood and clean musks with a touch of calming smoke, contrasted by.a slight dirtiness, makes this fragrance stand out. Definitely a special occasion, night time only scent. Great longevity, does not leave your clothes for days. However, the projection is moderate. Recommend it a lot, but I find it to be a little bit overpriced.

The sillage is a WOW. I can sense my smell wafting through the entire floor at Neiman Marcus and each passerby compliments me on how I smell. Musky but also fresh and very alluring. Great for day or night. Any weather. For a product as awesome as this, I don’t mind getting the full bottle. I layer this with Balmain Rouge and the effects are astounding. The scent stays on my clothes for days on end - I normally spray my jacket or sweater and the fragrance remains . Great performer . A pleaser and doesn’t disappoint.

This is one of those fragrances I get a different experience each day I wear it, one day it’s all suede/leather with rose, and the next is straight cumin and cooking spices; almost BO-ish as a few others have noted. I love it; I purchased the full bottle! Edit: I can’t stop thinking about this one, wearing again today. I have way too many fragrances and somehow I can’t pull away from Carbone!

This is not a scent profile I go for— that said— it is so well done. It is a very chic soapy musk scent that screams expensive and clean. It is a bit vintage in smell to my nose, almost giving me some sense of an aldehyde although none is acknowledged. Regardless, who cares, it’s good. If I stepped out of my usual scent territory, I’d excitedly step here. Sexy, seductive, and clean.

Dry, black leather with charcoal and just a hint of rose. Really sexy. Reads masc to me. Fortunately, I dont detect cumin—No unwashed armpit here! However, I tried the last drops from a bottle of oil, so maybe the top notes had already burned off. 15 hrs later, it’s a sweeter, almost vanillic sandalwood with a hint of that sexy charred note.

Nostalgic, Addictive, Hot Vegas summer nights after party vibes. Cigarettes and vodka sodas with lime. For me this is my favourite leather scent (not listed) maybe its the “suede” that im smelling. Underrated, don't hear many talking about this. Another QB hitter. On clothes this scent is eternal!!! Longevity on skin is great too!!

Wow! The name was well chosen! You feel the smell of a rose burned, but not the smoke of it. Something more of a plastic rose burned, a leathery smoke rose ?! I cannot stop smelling myself and enjoying that. I am not a « smoke or leather perfume » person. But this is unique, interesting and beautiful. Definitively unisex.

Amazing. One of the best suede fragrances I’ve had my nose on. Also, it isnt a beast on me like others have mentioned; maybe three hours (or perhaps I go little anosmic to its charm). It’s the fragrance I always reach to smell, even if I choose another frag for that day.

Carbone by Balmain is a spicy, elegant scent with a fresh cumin twist—great projection and sillage, and a real compliment magnet for cumin lovers. Every time Quentin Bisch creates for a brand, it’s a total boom—and this one’s already sold out at Macy’s US.

If you were a fan of the discontinued seducer "Skin on Skin by L'Artisan Parfumeur " amd master perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour this is going to be impressive to you. It's one of the few i wore an entire flacon of and was waiting for a reemergence.

Smells like money. Rich, well put together vibes. Not the nicest opening to me but give it a few minutes and it's gorgeous. Scent trail is enormous. Dark, spicy rose and pepper blend. Lasts forever.

I like it. It basically smells like a Neiman Marcus. Musky and very strong performance.

Love it, dark rose leathery femme fatale scent

Such a beautiful rose scent. Love it.

Since this is a couture fragrance and the bottle and presentation scream sophistication, the reviews here seem to compete over who can perfectly describe this complex beast of a fragrance. Here is the mystery solved: it is not a complicated fragrance at all. It is, in fact, very easy to wear. The only unusual thing you have to be able to pull off when you wear this, in today's climate of fragrances, is that it is not the slightest bit sweet. It is anti-sweet. That should be stressed because having the rose be a prominent part of their poster campaign is almost misleading in an entertaining kind of way. I think they have done it to show off, to play with people's perception: "Look you think this is going to smell of rose but it.. doesn't." The only thing the tiny bit of rose does in this perfume is to create a softer kind of darkness, to make sure the leathery core of this scent isn't too rubbery or artificial. But this is actually a very versatile fragrance. You could wear this as a clean-girl scent in the day, because it is not loaded with different elements; it is a straightforward soft leather. You could wear this as an evening scent as a man. You could even wear this to the office because it isn't screechy or too loud despite its unique composition. So in other words, you can bring yourself to the fragrance, it actually expects you to. That might be the only downside to this fragrance: it cannot make you feel confident, because it doesn't point in a clear direction. You already have to be confident wearing it.